A NovoAir flight from Dhaka to Cox’s Bazar was forced to return to Dhaka and make an emergency landing after experiencing a mechanical problem shortly after takeoff. The plane circled in the sky for about 45 minutes before landing safely at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport due to the landing gear not working properly.
Humayun Kabir, the Principal Advisor on Foreign Affairs and Civil Aviation, was also a passenger on the flight.
Novoair flight BG-935 departed Dhaka for Cox’s Bazar at 6:50 pm on Friday (July 3).
Humayun Kabir, advisor to the chief advisor, said that a mechanical fault was detected in the plane 10 to 15 minutes after takeoff. The landing gear was not raising.
The pilot failed despite several attempts. Later, considering the safety of the passengers, it was decided to return the plane to Dhaka.
Humayun Kabir said, “I am not an expert in aviation. But it seems to me that the captain made a very prudent decision. He brought the plane back to Dhaka with the safety of the passengers as the highest priority.”
He said that due to the long stay in the sky, there was some panic inside the plane. Especially the crying of the children and the anxiety of the passengers made the situation more anxious. However, the pilot was able to slowly reduce the speed of the plane and make the necessary preparations to land safely.